Photo Spotlights

Well over 2,100 RIT students and alumni met with a wide range of recruiters at RIT's largest-ever career fair on March 29. Representatives for 170 companies and agencies filled the Gordon Field House and Activities Center, surpassing the record of 130 employers who attended a similar event on campus last fall. RIT holds career fairs twice annually.

David Abbott went out of bounds from Facilities Management Services to play in the United Way 4th Annual Mini Golf tournament in the SAU. The event was a huge success and raised $681, the highest amount ever generated during this kickoff for the RIT campaign.

About 60 high school girls “shadowed” RIT engineering majors during the sixth annual Shadow Day, March 23-24. Above, Karen Roth, a fifth-year software engineering major (standing, background), works with students on a LEGO MindStorms programming project. The visiting students also attended classes, toured campus and spent a night in an RIT residence hall. The event was sponsored by RIT’s Society of Women Engineers.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader signed copies of his books following a lecture at Webb Auditorium on the credit card industry and problems created by banking deregulation. His speech was sponsored by RIT's College of Business, which also announced last Friday that it was establishing a research center and academic concentration in consumer financial services. The new program will be directed by Robert Manning, economist and professor of finance at RIT's College of Business.

The Athenaeum’s Winter Social was also a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day for 75 members on March 17. The group enjoyed a traditional Irish luncheon featuring corned beef and cabbage, of course, and were entertained by dancers from Kathleen O’Keefe Irish School of Dance.

Dyer Arts Center at RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf presents an exhibition, The Signs of Nature, The Nature of Signs; Paintings and Prints by Susan Dupor, which will be on view through April 20. Dupor, a deaf artist and teacher at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, is an alumna of NTID’s Master of Science in Secondary Education Program.

RIT students Matthew Mosesohn and Chris Rowoth of RIT’s coed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega Xi Zeta, pass time in their cardboard shanty with the help of technology. The annual “Shantytown” event is held to raise awareness of the reality of homelessness during which members gave up the warmth of their dorms to man the shelter day and night. A Salvation Army collection bucket was kept alongside the shanty, encouraging the RIT community to help the homeless.

Fritz Yambrach, associate professor of packaging science, recently opened up the kitchen of his Pittsford home to students in his Food Preservation and Packaging course. Thirty students received hands-on instruction in fermentation and bottling of beer. The course, offered twice yearly, examines various food products, processing and preservation methods, impact on quality and nutritional value, packaging methods and distribution practices.

Jazz lovers take note of a concert not to miss: "New Music for Jazz Ensemble, Featuring Original Works and Arrangements by Carl Atkins, Jonathan Kruger and Dave Gibson” will begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, in Ingle Auditorium in the Student Alumni Union. Led by RIT music professors Carl Atkins and Jonathan Kruger, the 18-piece band will feature local professional musicians.

More than 30 EMBA alumni from RIT were ready to jump right in to Advanced Leadership 101 during Sharpen the Saw Day on March 2. Daniel Tessoni, assistant professor of accounting in the College of Business, invited RIT trustee Richard Sands to discuss his business acumen as chairman and CEO of Constellation Brands, Inc. Earlier in the day was CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, Dennis Mullen, who spoke about his former position as CEO of Bird’s Eye Foods Inc.

Helen Gormont, coordinator of volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, describes opportunities with the agency as part of RIT's Community Service Fair on March 15. Representatives from 20 organizations met with students, faculty and staff to share information on services provided and ways in which people can volunteer. Big Brothers Big Sisters recently initiated a campus-based program at RIT, providing student mentors an opportunity to interact with "little brothers and sisters."

Will these chickens run in the first episode of ABC's American Inventor tonight? Aaron Foss, an RIT alumnus, was one of 4,000 geeky inventors who auditioned for a new primetime reality show that follows the format of American Idol—complete with the cynical Simon Cowell as executive producer. Foss designed The WingDipper, a plastic cup holder "to dip both chicken wings and legs into bleu cheese without the mess." Foss received his undergraduate degree in information technology ('00) and his MBA ('01) from RIT. Foss reached the show's semi-finals, but it's not known whether he'll be featured as part of tonight's casting call highlights.